Corrections in Criminal Justice System - Research Paper Example

? Corrections in Criminal Justice System The criminal justice system in the US encompasses arrest of a criminal, release or prosecution, sentencing by a court followed by corrections which vary in approach. Imprisonment has been cited by Bureau of Labor Statistics, BLS (2012) as the most prevalent form of correction in the US. With the increase in the number of inmates in states correctional facilities, for example the growth from 53,000 to over 97,000 between 1993 and 2007 in the state of Florida (Cripe, Pearlman & Kosiak, 2012), there would be more need to understand the correctional approaches and facilities appropriate for different categories of criminals. Therefore, this paper evaluates the various available forms of corrections for offenders ranging from incarceration to community based corrections. Appreciating the important role played by correction officers in charge of handling and controlling prisoners, the paper evaluates the in-depth responsibilities of these officers, their academic qualifications and attributes necessary for effective executions of their mandate. It would also be critical to analyze the classifications of prisons and the security levels that define these classifications. Introduction In the US, sentencing ranges from restitution, fines, probation supervision, community service, suspended sentences and imprisonment terms to execution in cases of capital offences. Sentencing as a legal process defines the anticipation of the correctional function which carries out these sentences. The correctional function on the other hand define the last component of the criminal justice activities continuum in the criminal justice system responsible for the execution of sentencing orders issued by criminal courts (Cripe, Pearlman & Kosiak, 2012). Correction encompasses the probation authority, jail terms, community corrections agencies, prisons and paroling authorities. In addition to these five traditional and principal components of corrections, this component of the justice system could also include clerks of courts charged with collection of fines and restitution money and also those who assist in the supervision of offenders in the community. Probation refers to imprisonment alternative sentences which allow the defendant to be integrated into the community, stay at home and continue working (Cripe, Pearlman & Kosiak, 2012). However, such a person would be needed to report to a probation officer on a regular basis for counseling and assistance in crises. Violation of the conditions normally imposed by the court to govern the defendant’s activities could result in negative report being submitted to the court. If serious enough, the probation could be revoked by the court. The courts rely on probation officers for such reports which could cause the defendant to be imprisoned. Lack of payment of fines and restitutions could cause the defendant to possibly face a jail term to serve as a sanction. As another form of correction, incarceration involves confining inmates in a prison. These include boot camps, weekend programs, half-way houses, also referred to as residential reentry centers and other entities for locking up individuals overnight. But a prisoner could be released before finishing the prison term if such a prisoner agrees to abide by certain conditions. This is referred to as parole and if the parole conditions get violated, the prisoner could be returned to prison. Fines would normally be used with or in lieu of prison terms. Less severe crimes such as traffic offenses have come to appreciate fines as the acceptable mode of punishment due to being punitive, easier to administer and easily fits within a wide range of severity of crimes. However, it has been argued as being unavailable to indigent defendants and not being punitive enough for the wealthy defendants (Clear, Cole, Reisig & Petrosino, 2012). Restitution on the other hand tries to make the injured whole through administration of monetary awards as damages. In as much as the normal justice system would call for commencement of corrections after prosecution, Cripe, Pearlman and Kosiak (2012) reckon that this critical phase could start as soon as a criminal gets arrested, particularly if such a person would be detained in jail. Similarly, pretrial release could be accompanied by correctional supervision. It would also be important to note that for all corrections component applicable to adults, there would be similar action for the juvenile justice system. Corrections officer Many thousands of corrections officers get hired yearly to handle and control prisoners. According to Hutton and Mydlarz (2001), in the US, 192,674 state corrections officers handle about 860,632 adult inmates nationwide. The employment outlook for this job indicates a continued rise in the number of employments for these officers. These corrections officers would be responsible for the security, custody and well being of inmates in the given state correctional facility. They would also be charged with the role of administering the rules and regulations which serve to maintain law and order in the correctional facility. Additionally, they might be required to have firearms, carry out searches for contraband, appropriately supervise the activities and movement of inmates and come up with appropriate reports on inmate conduct. They could be required to be stationed at an elevated tower with a weapon overseeing the massive groups of inmates. Therefore, Austin, Johnson and Gregoriou (2000) consider dependability, ability to work under no supervision, ability to make appropriate decisions under pressure, act in physically dangerous conditions and participation in strenuous physical activities as critical attributes of an effective corrections officer. Other attributes outlined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, BLS (2012) include interpersonal skills, physical strength, self discipline, writing skills, good judgment and critical-thinking skills. The requirements for one to secure employment as a corrections officer would vary from a state to another though usually lower than those required of other law enforcement responsibilities. Most states would however require one to have attained age 18, have a minimum of high school education and possess a clean record according to the BLS (2012). But to work in federal prisons, a bachelor’s degree would be required with a minimum of three years experience in counseling, supervision or assistance. Before assignment to a facility, successful candidates attend an academy to equip them with the crucial skills and knowledge according to the guidelines set out by the American Correctional Association (Hutton & Mydlarz, 2001). The academy trainees would be instructed on institutional policies, operations and regulations and also on procedures for custody and security. The skills acquired enable them to handle the large groups of inmates they would be in charge of including when they riot. These skills also enable them endure the working times as they would be required to work even during holidays and weekend and at times even overtime. Prisons and security categories Up to the late 19th Century, the US federal government had to lease prison facilities because the existing federal prison facilities were inadequate (Austin, Johnson & Gregoriou, 2000). But various factors including population growth and promulgation of various federal laws and public outcry on leased prison systems have seen the establishment of many more federal penitentiaries. The Federal Bureau of Prisons, popularly abbreviated as BOP is the agency of law enforcement, a subdivision of the Department of Justice that administers the federal prison system. The classification of prisons depends on the prisoner’s criminal and social background and the programming needs of such a prisoner. “Separating inmates (male from female, sick from healthy, youth from adult, and aggressive from passive) is a function that has important ramifications for all aspects of institutional operations” (Carlson & Garret, 2008, p.73). As such, prisons could be categorized into juvenile, military, political or psychiatric. There are facilities that the BOP has set for specialized purposes. The US Penitentiary Administrative Maximum Facility hosts violent and dangerous prisoners prone to escaping. The Medical Center for Federal Prisoners would be used for male prisoners in need of medical care. The satellite camps adjacent to some of the main facilities serve as sources of labor to these facilities such as the Federal Correctional Institution in Memphis. Some other facilities would be operated by third parties, referred to as contract facilities making up about 15% of the prisons recognized by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Most of these have their operations run by private companies while others would be operated by local governments. The bureau uses these facilities to imprison specialized people posing low security risks for example criminal aliens. There are military bases that have been converted into prisons referred to as conversions such as the Federal Prison Camp in Yankton. Currently, the bureau has maximum security facilities for male prisoners but none for women. The women who pose special management concerns because of violence or attempts to escape would be confined in Federal Medical Center with most of them residing in specialized and restricted zones in the general prisons of women. For one to be considered as a juvenile prisoner they should be aged between 17 and 20 and at the time of committing the offense should have been below 18. Most of these juvenile prisoners have unfavorable past record prior to their imprisonment. These juvenile offenders would have facilities to house them contracted by the BOP. Those sentenced as adults would be moved to adult facilities on their 18th birthday while those sentenced as juvenile would be moved to adult facilities on their 21st birthday (Austin, Johnson & Gregoriou, 2000). Other types of prisons include political prisons and psychiatric prisons. The former would be used for offenders who have committed political crimes. The latter would be used to confine offenders diagnosed with mental disorders or those considered to be dangerous. In whatever the prison, the need for security and safety persists with modern prisons being self contained societies providing a complex enclosed environment. But then again, based on the type of prison, the security level would also vary. According to Clear et al. (2012), the BOP provides five distinct security levels in prisons. With Federal Prison Camps, FPCs, there would be minimal security facilities, perimeter fencing and low ratios of staff to inmates. The characterization of low security Federal Correctional Institutions, FCIs include double fenced perimeters with inmates living in dormitories or cubicles. Medium security FCIs would be used to imprison medium security inmates just as some United States Penitentiaries, USPs. These facilities would have strengthened perimeters with double fenced perimeters and electronic detection systems and would mostly adopt cell housing. Most US Penitentiaries, classified as facilities of high security have reinforced fences and walls. The Federal Correctional Complexes, FCCs combine various security levels and host inmates of different genders. Conclusion Corrections refer to the last component of the criminal justice system that encompass execution of the sentence whether restitution, fines, probation supervision, community service, suspended sentences or incarceration or imprisonment. Corrections officers play the critical role of handling and controlling prisoners either in penitentiary facilities or in the community based approach. Special attributes that define this career include interpersonal skills, self discipline, critical thinking skills, physical strength, self discipline, writing skills and good judgment. The approach to corrections to be adopted by these corrections officers would depend on the severity of crime, gender, health, age and other special conditions of the criminal. In case of imprisonment, the type of prison would also be considered before incarceration. Prisons vary in type depending on the nature of criminals it hosts, its history and the range of age of the criminals it hosts. Similarly, there would be varied security levels depending on the kind of criminals being imprisoned, ranging from the low security facilities to maximum security facilities. References Austin, J., Johnson, K. D. & Gregoriou, M. (2000). Juveniles in adult prisons and jails: a national assessment. Washington, DC: US Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2012, April 26). Occupational outlook handbook: correctional officers. Washington, DC: Office of Occupational Statistics and Employment Projections. Retrieved 4 November 2012 from http://www.bls.gov/ooh/protective -service/correctional-officers.htm Carlson, P. & Garrett, J. (2008). Prison and jail administration: practice and theory. 2nd ed. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bertlett Publishers. Clear, T. R., Cole, G. F., Reisig, M. D. & Petrosino, C. (2012). American corrections in brief. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning. Cripe, C. A., Pearlman, M. G. & Kosiak, D. (2012). Legal aspects of corrections management. 3rd ed. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning. Hutton, D. B. & Mydlarz, A. (2001). Guide to law enforcement careers. New York, NY: Barron’s Educational Services Inc. Read More